Bank BSN calls for closer links between ASEAN Islamic finance markets

PT Bank Syariah Nasional (Bank BSN) wants ASEAN's Islamic finance markets to become more interconnected to widen financial access and support sustainable growth. Deputy President Director Arga M. Nugraha outlined the bank's position at a forum in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 14, 2026.

Arga said cooperation across borders was essential to making the industry more resilient during global economic volatility. He urged Islamic banks to make greater use of financing that shares profits and losses, measure their impact more effectively and strengthen international collaboration.

Approximately 150 people representing ASEAN, Africa and the Middle East attended. The Islamic Bank of Thailand and the International Islamic Economics and Finance Conference for Sustainable Development organised the forum alongside the 2026 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.

Panellists identified sukuk, musharakah and mudarabah as instruments with potential to finance renewable energy projects, sustainable infrastructure and small and medium-sized enterprises. Participants also discussed bringing zakat and waqf into the wider financial system to help protect vulnerable people and alleviate poverty.

Islamic Development Bank Group Chairman Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser said asset growth alone should not define the industry's success; its benefits for public welfare and economic resilience also mattered. The Islamic Bank of Thailand will now prepare the Bangkok Policy Note, with recommendations covering stronger institutions, broader financial access and closer connections between ASEAN Islamic finance and global markets.